Ken Saro-Wiwa, others were not criminals – KSWF responds to Buhari

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

The Board of Directors of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation (KSWF) have responded to President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement on granting pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni activists illegally executed by the Nigerian Military regime of Sani Abacha on November 10, 1995.

Buhari, in a statement signed by Femi Adesina, his media aide, last Friday had said that the federal government may soon grant a posthumous pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists after execution by a former military regime.

Buhari made this known when he received some of the leaders of land led by the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, His Majesty King Godwin N.K. Giniwa, at the State House, Abuja.

Responding to this in a statement signed by a member of the board and Ken Saro-Wiwa’s younger brother, Dr Owens Wiwa, the Foundation said, “Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other Eight Ogonis were not criminals. They were innocent activists unjustly murdered for fighting for a just cause on behalf of their oppressed community.

“The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa have made a request for the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa to the President in the past and are still waiting for a response. We urge the President to again consider this request as a path to justice and peace.

“The family and the Foundation have not asked any individual to ask for pardon or clemency for Ken Saro-Wiwa on our behalf, nor are we aware of any group of Ogonis making such a request.”

Also reacting to the assurances of the President in ensuring the Ogoni clean up exercise, the Foundation also stated, “The path to true peace in the region begins with justice. The cleaning up of the environment for which they campaigned and died for is a first good step.

“The exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni activists, judicially murdered on November 10 1995 is another step towards peace.”